…..I shaved my head. I’m finally getting a chance to post photos….taken by my talented friend Taili Song Roth. (One of my favorite photos ever is one she took of Clint Eastwood at the Palm Springs Film Festival!) If you haven’t seen the video yet…..we made a digital short of it as well (click here to view).
It’s already been about 2 months since I first cut off that long ponytail:
My mother wanted a braid as a bookmark for her bible:
The final cut:
A kiss from Mr. LBB:
Boo brought her markers to draw on my head:
My mom:
My niece Courtney….my twin:
Thank you Taili!!!
You look absolutely beautiful! I love these photos-especially the one with you Mr. LBB and Boo. You have such a beautiful family!
Kari
Hi, Ashley
Every time I watch the video it makes me cry. Not because I am sad, well a little, but its just so moving and so much love and support. Praying for you always!
Vanessa
Mystery explained…I was wondering what the small braid was for. What a great idea your mom had.
You are one amazingly beautiful strong powerful and downright cheerful woman! I am constantly in awe of your will and your drive. Praying for you every single day 🙂
Has it really been 2 months! Wow! I have a confession to make that I haven’t commented on here yet. I have been following your blog for a little over a year now and so I’ve followed your journey from the beginning. A little over 2 months ago (Dec 31 to be exact) I cut my long hair short in order to donate it to Pantene’s Locks of Love program. I just felt a nudge to do it. I thought of you and all the other amazing women out there going through the same thing the whole time. I don’t regret it for a minute. Thanks for being such a positive inspiration!
You are absolutely beautiful! That was a great idea your mom had!
All of the stills are beautiful, but the beginning of the video is the most heart wrenching. Boo looks like “What the!” and you can see the tears in Mr. LBBs eyes. So glad it is looking like there is light at the end of your tunnel now!
Love the pictures, thanks for sharing.
Absolutely beautiful with or without hair! I come to your site to laugh and cry. For hope and joy. You are amazing and you make the world a better place. I pray for your full recovery. I have picked “Choose Joy” as my theme for my goals this year. I hope one day I can choose it as you do.
I know I have illuded to the fact before but it bears repeating….you are one sexy chick…you make crafting cool….I don’t know if I mentioned this but my mom owns a quilt shop in gatlinburg tn and I try to help out in the summer and during the quilt show and Saturday I noticed she had patterns from jaybirds quilts….it made me think of you…..nwhen you get well…notice dangit I said when…..you bring Mr b and that sweet baby to Tennessee and we will show you the crafty outdoor goodness that is the smoky mountains….keep getting better….know that you are loved and prayed for daily……..your Tennessee friends….p
Brave and beautiful. What grace!!!
i cried all over again! those pictures and video are seriously beautiful. you are stunning!
You are beautiful inside and out. I found myself laughing and crying at the same time. It brought me back to when I had my treatment. I was not as brave as you and did not share my experience with my children. I wore a bandana and wig throughout my treatment and only took my wig off when I went to bed at night. Watching the love all around you filled me with complete joy. No wonder you choose joy!
I agree with everyone else, you are beautiful inside and out and you are a true inspiration. I shaved my head 2 days ago to raise money for cancer research and I wear my bald head with pride along with you 🙂
Amazing. You are an inspiration.
I thought of you a lot this week because I had a hysterectomy on Thursday. The last surgery I had was October thirteenth. When I come out of the anesthesia and went online I read the story of how your life had so drastically changed. I wanted to write you and beg, no demand, that you not have another medical crisis while I was under this time! I’m so glad that you are still choosing joy.
I admire your bravery and courage.
I found your blog and video two days before I had to do the same You have no idea how much it helped me. You are beautiful inside and out!
I wish I would have saved a braid from mine. Although my hair was not as long as yours. We had a mohawk party on the back porch with my hubby and daughter cutting my hair.
Mine was almost two years ago this week. For Easter 2010 my daughter and nieces colored my head with face crayons. My dad and I were ‘egg’ heads.
I admire your passion and courage. You are a strong woman.
I don’t know what was more powerful, the pictures or the video. You are such a strong woman. May your beauty shine forever and your spirit stay ever cheerful. God bless you and your family, stay strong!
Thank you for Sharing again. Your Bravery is Amazing. You are a Hero. God Bless you and your Family.
Jamie
Ashley, do you know how beautiful you are?
The King is enthralled with your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord.
Psalm 45:11
You are so beautiful and such an inspiration!!
I can’t believe it’s been two months. You are so strong! <3
You are being prayed for and thought of daily in Wisconsin. Rest assured this is NOT the end of your story. Thank you dor your positivity. Many, many prayers of healing as you kick that cancer!
“For I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow.”
Jeremiah 31:13b (nkjv)
This one made me cry. You and your blog are such an inspiration. I am amazed at how you always seem to be smiling and positive, no matter what you’re up against.
I think this post was especially touching for me because my husband and I are getting our heads shaved this weekend at a St. Baldrick’s event; along with 39 other amazing, brave, selfless souls! (If you’re not familiar with St. Baldrick’s, check them out at stbalsricks.org)
Thank you for sharing such a private, personal and what I am sure was also an emotional moment. Love and light to you and your family. xox
Ashely,
You are an inspiration to me daily… I “choose joy” more often because of YOU…what an amazing impact you have had on so many lives….thank you. xoxo,Adele
I say a prayer for you and your family every night, keep up the fight I know you will be the winner!!!! I believe you are helping everyone by sharing your journey, and Thank You for doing it. Keep on keeping on…………kick cancer right out of your life!!!!!
What a lovely and supportive group of family and friends you have. I love that you involved your daughter in the process. We are all praying for you. Namaste.
I have just fallen upon your blog from another blog. And this is the first post I’ve seen – I don’t even know the story behind it all yet (when I have more time I plan to go back in your blogland) but I just wanted to tell you how beautiful you are and brave!! I look forward to reading and following your blog!
Love the “Keedy’s” shirt on Boo. My favorite place for Sat. morn. breakfast on the front (East) patio! Following your blog faithfully!
It’s a shame the hair had to all go…you’ve got cute short hair. That A line bob would have been darling on you…maybe when it starts growing out again? Love the beautiful pink bow on the hair that will go to Locks of Love…so fitting.
Hello,
I found your blog about your free bunny pattern. First of all, thanks for that.
I put your blog in my blogroll. The reason? Not only about the bunnies ;-). I think you made a video on youtube about the cancer, isnt it? Vicky ( my lovely friend from “the westras world”) posted it on facebook and it go in my heart and is still there.
You look
Sorrrrrryyyyy
You look without hairs sooo attractiv and very, very pretty! I love your look and I want to send you a “very sweet” Bussal from Germany ;-).
xoxoxo
Mimi
PS: You dont know what “Bussals” are?????? ;-), ask Vicky, she know it! *giggle*
It’s really wonderful what you made and you are so pretty. I like the reaction of your family.
I hope that the chimiotherapy will do its job.
A lot of kisses for you from France
Agnès
Of course all of these things about you are true… But omg YOUR MOM ROCKS! you are indeed a lucky lucky girl to have such an AWESOME mama! SO MUCH LOVE!
Beautiful! What a wonderful record of a moment of your life!
your blog is beautiful…inside and out.
hello! i am following your journey and celebrating all your positives! i felt compelled to tell you today as i sit here crying that your husband is in my thoughts as well. the look in his eyes in the first video still is just heartbreaking – so much love for you. i hope he is hanging in there right along side you. joy and peace to each and everyone of you! xo
With those eyes and that smile, who will even notice you don’t have hair?
Gloria
You are simply gorgeous, hair, no hair, tattoo on your head; You radiate a beauty that is inspiring!
You are gorgeous with or without hair. Thank you for sharing.
I have just recently found you and you have helped me through my own struggles that I having three non curable diseases.
I am suggesting you to my friends!
*that I have with three non curable diseases.
Here in New Zealand both Maori and European people use these words …
kia kaha – be strong
and you are! xx
You are BEAUTIFUL!
Beautiful, very moving. I have followed your blog for a while and just want to thank you for sharing. You have a beautiful family, so well captured in the video and the stills. I lost my dad to leukemia in 96 and miss him every day, just to share the moments. I have great memories of him too.
God bless you, beautiful strong soul.
I love this post Ashley. Those pictures are beautiful! Is your hair growing back between treatments? Or is your scalp staying smooth? I’ve got stubble and peach fuzz all over, it’s weird! xo!
Stunning. Your bravery shines through. Fight on!
You have given sooo many women the courage to move forward, Ashley! Not only with cancer but all the sadness and heartache that women have to bear-whatever that may be for them. As I’ve told you before my friend, you have changed my life. Hugs and love to you and your family.
Ashley,
Amazing! You are absolutely beautiful:) I will be doing the same maybe this weekend and I SO want it to be special like you did. Love the video and pictures. And I LOVE that your daughter drew on your head – I am going to have to steal that idea – my daughter (who is also 4) is all about drawing right now and would find it quite amusing to draw on Mama’s head!!
Thinking of and praying for you – I always say if I win the lottery, I am going to pay all Ashley’s medical bills – people ask me who Ashley is – lol!!
Jennifer
Not only do you have a beautiful heart, tou have a beautiful soul as well…..
I don’t know you, but you have touched my life. Thank you so much for sharing your story and your amazing spirit through your blog. The video had me in tears. It reminds me to “Choose Joy”.
That was such an inspiring video…totally made me cry. I recently discovered your blog & have been addicted ever since. You are an amazing inspiration. THANK YOU!!
You have strength beyond explanation!! I cannot say I would be the amazing woman you are with the what you have faced in the last 6 months. I know you hear it from readers everyday but you are truly amazing!
Just got my Choose Joy bands…am handing them out to all of my friends and family. Thanks for being you,
Beautiful, what a blessing and an inspriation you are!
God bless you!
I’m just going to quickly reiterate what everyone else has already said… YOU ARE AMAZING!
Wow, I have been following your blog for a while now and like you have gone through cancer (breast) surgery, chemo, radio therapy etc. You are so strong and I bet you thank your lucky stars for your gorgeous little girl and family (again like me) who have helped you and supported you.
I had a few tears when look through your pictures when you shaved your head, remembering how I felt on the day that I shaved off my long hair. With or without hair you are STUNNING. Keep up the positive attitude. You really are an inspiration. Take care.
Ashley –
I just recently found your blog and I must say you are a beautiful beacon of hope and joy.
This post touched me deep because when my mom went through her first batch of chemo when I was 8, the whole family got together to shave her head. It made the experience of losing her hair a joyful one, not one to regret.
My mother passed away 13 years ago and now my father was just diagnosed with cancer. Your blog always fills my heart with joy, constantly reminding me not to dwell of the negatives of his cancer. Keep it positive, keep it joyful!
Thank you.
Ashley, I have enjoyed your blog for a long time. As much as I enjoy the sewing tutorials, I now log on to check on your health first. My mom is a 3 time survivor and we truly believe prayer works. You and your beautiful family are in my prayers.
I cry like a baby every time I watch this. You and your family are incredibly strong people.